Fruit-clipper



R. A. STEWART.

FRUIT CLIPPER.

(No Model.)

Patented'Aug. 11, 1 891.

INVENTOR:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RIPLEY ALSBERRY STEI/VART, OF LEESBURG, FLORIDA.

FRUIT-CLIPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,679, dated August 11, 1891. Application filed November 21, 1890. Serial No. 372,147. (No model.)

To allwuhoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIPLEY ALSBERRY STEWART, of Leesburg, in the eounty'of Lake and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Fruit-Clipper, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of 'my improved fruit-clipper, showing the manner of applying it to the hand. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clipper as adapted to the left hand, and Fig. 3 is atransverse section taken on line w a: in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of clippers in which the clipper is held by loops between the forefinger and thumb of the hand which grasps the fruit; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The shear-blades A A are connected together by the rivet or screw a. The blades are rounded at their pivoted end and curved slightly and pointed at their free ends. To

the inner face of the blade A is attached a of the flange C are attached loops b b, of

flexible material, for holding the forefinger, and to the parts of the flange O are attached straps c c for holding the thumb. To the outer flange O is attached an elastic strap D, which extends along the side of the hand and is attached to a strap E, which surrounds the wrist.

My improved fruit-clipper is held on the hand, as shown in Fig. 1, and is used byopening and closing the blades by means of the forefinger and thumb, the fruit being grasped by the hand while the stem is cut by the shears. The stem is supported during the cutting operation by the guard Bthat is to say, the inner edge of the guard B will engage the stem a short distance from where it is en gaged by the cutting-edge of blade A, and therefore when the bladesAA are moved toward each other the fruit-stem will cross the blades at right angles and be evenly cut. The guard being parallel with and spaced from the bladeA a distance equal to the thickness of the blade A will prevent the blades from spreading apart laterally when their pivot gets somewhat loose, for the blade A works in the space between said guard and blade A. The guard has nothing in common with a stem-retaining device secured to one blade of certain shears and lying in the Path of the opposing blade to grasp asevered stem and hold it with the attached fruit or flower.

In fruit-pickers of the class to which mine he longs there is a tendency for them to fall from the thumb and forefinger; but the elastic strap D exerts sufficient strain to draw the clippers rearward into the proper position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fruit-clipper, the combination of the blades A A, provided with the double flanges C C, the spaced parallel guard-plate B, the rivet a, and the finger, thumb, and wrist straps, substantially as specified.

2. In a fruit-clipper, the combination of the curved blades A A, provided with flanges C' C, the spaced parallel guard-plate B, the rivet a, the finger-straps b b, the thumb-straps c c, the elastic strap D, and the wrist-strap E, substantially as specified.

' RIPLEY ALSBERRY STEWART.

Witnesses:

P. W. BUTLER, 'lHos. W. SPICER. 

